Where to stay (or not) in Bad Urach with a dog

This April, I took a trip with my dog to Bad Urach, a small town in the Swabian Alps famous for its waterfall. We stayed at Hotel Buck. It is a family run place with an attached confectionery and cafe. Overall, it was a decent choice, but if I was to stay here again I would get a different room. For a full breakdown of my hotel experience, read the review below.

If you are looking for things to do with your dog in the area, do check out my posts on a trip with my dog to Bad Urach, Part I and Part II. In particular, the waterfall is a must-see.

DOG FRIENDLINESS

My dog was welcome here. However, I was a bit miffed that they felt the need to point out in advance that the owner would be held liable for any damages or dirt caused by pets. Maybe they made a negative experience in the past?

THE LOCATION

Hotel Buck is located in the center of Bad Urach. It is close to the starting points of different hiking routes, but also close to the market square as well as plenty of shops including multiple supermarkets and restaurants. I found the location to be very convenient.

There is a large roof terrace for the exclusive use of guests from where you have a really nice view across the city as well as the hills.

THE ROOM

The room was surprisingly large. It featured a single bed, a closet, a desk with a chair, a separate table with a chair and even another bench for sitting (or in my case, putting the luggage). It also had a TV as well as a machine for complimentary teas and coffees.

Sounds nice, right? Well, it certainly looked nice. However, unfortunately I found the bed to be really uncomfortable. Not only was it too small for me, but also one side was positioned directly at the wall, making it feel even smaller. Looking at the mattress, you can see that it is worn down. No wonder that I had back pain the next day. Not great when you’re on vacation trying to get some rest and relaxation.

The bathroom was very barebones. It was functional, but not comfortable. Hardly any counter space, very minimal supply of anything (one tiny bottle of combined shower gel + shampoo?). It was just not inviting to use, but in good condition.

The balcony however was very nice. Good size and a very nice view over the town as well as the surrounding hills.

Another gripe I had with the room: It was surprisingly loud. The hotel is in the center of Bad Urach and surrounded mostly by pedestrianised streets or smaller roads with a speed limit of 30km/h and yet: There was a lot of street noise. Especially from motorcycles. For some reason, riding very loud motorcycles seems to be popular in this town, even at night. Not great!

THE SERVICE

The service at Hotel Buck was mostly good. Everyone at reception was friendly and helpful.

I asked if I could take the breakfast to the room since I am still careful with indoor spaces without masks, and that was no problem at all. I was provided with a tray as well as a small coffee pot. Super nice!

I do have one major complaint about the service though: I had the “do not disturb” sign on as I was still getting ready to start my day. The cleaner knocked. Irritated, I checked and saw no one except the cleaner in the distance. I asked if she knocked, she said yes, and if she should clean now or later? I said later please. I figured she probably saw the sign too late and that’s why she directly left after knocking.

Well… Not even one hour later, she knocked again!

What is the sign for?!

Sorry, but that is bad form to me.

THE VALUE

For two nights, I ended up paying roughly 150 EUR including dog surcharge. This is quite economical since it also includes breakfast and parking. It is probably ok value, but it could be great value if the bed was better.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I think my biggest gripe is that some parts of this hotel experience were so nice (huge room. breakfast in room. coffee capsule machine! not even instant stuff!) and then some other parts were so disappointing (bed. bathroom. sign not respected.). It does not fit together.

This place could be great with a few minor changes. Unfortunately, the important stuff (bed!) is not nice yet. Such a shame. Regrettably, I can only rate it a 3/5 overall, and unless there are significant changes I would not stay here again.